Signal lantern and switch means therefor



Feb. 22, 1966 GRAUBNER 3,237,184

SIGNAL LANTERN AND SWITCH MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR. HERMAN G. GRAUBNER BY 77 ATTORNEY Feb. 22, BN 3,237,184

SIGNAL LANTERN AND SWITCH MEANS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1960 INVENTOR. HERMAN G. GRAUBNER BY LiTTORNEV United States Patent York Filed Apr. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 20,913

Claims. (Cl. 340-321) This invention relates to switches and more particularly refers to a switch adapted to be used with a flashlight.

It has recently become important to produce flashlights having high output for use primarily in road repair work, such as changing automobile flat tires. In developing these types of lights, it has been deemed desirable to include a safety flasher light as well as a viewing light so that the repairman can have light to see the repairs being made and at the same time have a danger signal flasher for the purpose of warning other motorists of the repairs being made. Several lights of this design have recently appeared on the market and most of these have a single switch operating both the flasher and the light.

Since this type of light is also practical for use in the home in cases of emergency, it is sometimes desirable to have the viewing light in operation without the necessity of using the blinker, Fulfilling this desire, lights have appeared having two or more toggle switches, generally mounted near each other, each of which operates the blinker or the light respectively. Some confusion has arisen with users of this type of light particularly with regard to the switch means.

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a switch particularly adapted to use in this type of flashlight, which operates substantially automatically.

Fulfilling this object, this invention includes a switch means comprising a bifurcated conductive strip; a nonconductive member which preferably rides on this strip; and a conductive plug within the non-conductive member, adapted to contact the bifurcated strip. The movement of the non-conductive member along the conductive strip moves the conductive plug into and out of contact with the strip, thereby opening or closing the circuit at will.

This invention also includes the combination of such a switch and a flashlight, and particularly this combination wherein the switch is mounted inside the handle of the flashlight with no button or other obvious switching means protruding through the handle.

Understanding of this invention Will be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the switch of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation in section of the switch of this invention taken along the lines 22 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of a to use in this invention with the switch mechanism.

The switch of this invention operates quite simply by the movement of a conductive plug into contact with the yoke of a bifurcated member from its normal position between prongs of the bifurcated member. It is important that this conductive plug have dimensions such that it is smaller than the space defined between the prongs of the bifurcated member. Therefore, when the switch is in the off position, this conductive plug rests between and out of contact with the prongs of the bifurcated member and when it is in the on position, this conductive plug is in contact with the yoke of the bifurcated member. It is preferred that the conductive portions of this switch flashlight adapted part broken away to show 3,237,184 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 be metal and that the non-conductive portion be plastic or some other insulating material.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the bifurcated member 10 is preferably mounted on an insulating surface 12. The non-conductive member 14 is adjacent to and in contact with the member 10, and a conductive plug 16 is mounted on the non-conductive member 14. It is preferred that the conductive plug 16 be held in good electrical contact with the bifucated member 10, such as by means of a spring 18, It is also preferred that a non-conductive material 20, fill the space between the prongs 22 and 24 of the bifurcated member 10 so that a substantially plane surface is provided, running from the yoke 26 to the space between the prongs 22 and 24 of the bifurcatedmember 10, thereby insuring the smooth transition of the conductive plug 16 from the off to the on position and vice versa. Suitably electrical leads 30 and 32 extend respectively from the bifurcated member 10 and the conductive plug 16.

It is practical to include the type of switch described herein within the handle 34 or other carrying means for the blinker 36 of a flashlight 38 as shown in FIG. 3. This blinker 36 may be mounted on a shaft or rod 42 which terminates in the non-conductive member 14. The switch is then activated by moving the blinker 36 and its shaft 42 along and parallel to the insulating surface 12 in order that the conductive plug 16 moves from between the prongs 22 and 24, on the non-conductive material 20, to the conductive yoke 26 of the bifurcated member 10. When the switch is included inside the handle 34 of such a flashlight, the shaft 42 may be mounted therein also and as it is Withdrawn from the handle 34, the blinker 36 will light. When the blinker 36 is to be turned out, the shaft 42 is repositioned inside the handle 34, thereby putting the switch in the oif position. FIG. 3 also shows a second light 40 which is independent of the blinker 36. This light 40 is activated by a switch 41 wholly independent of this switching mechanism described above for activating the blinker 36.

It is therefore practical to use a light having this type of switch, both as an emergency repair light for road work and the like, or for indoor home repairs as the case may be without the inconvenience of having both the viewing light and the blinker Work at one and the same time and without the inconvenience of having two similarly appearing switches to confuse the operator.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch means comprising a stationary flat bifurcated conductive strip having a yoke portion and prongs, and a nonconductive zone between said prongs and coplanar therewith; a nonconductive member adjacent to said strip, slideable substantially along the length of said flat bifurcated conductive strip and over said yoke portion; and a conductive plug mounted on said non-conductive member, said plug being of a lesser dimension than the space between said prongs and being slideable to a first position along said bifurcated conductive strip in a space between said prongs defining the switch open circuit posi tion, said nonconductive member and said conductive plug slideable to a second position with said conductive plug engaging said yoke portion of said bifurcated conductive strip to define a circuit closing position.

2. A switch as described in claim 1 wherein a spring is provided between said conductive plug and said nonconductive member.

3. A switch as described in claim 1 wherein said nonconductive member has a shaft extending therefrom and a light on said shaft, said light being electrically connected to said conductive plug.

4. In a portable hand lantern, the combination of a safety signal light, a substantially hollow handle, a shaft tive plug opening said switch slidably mounted within said handle, one end of which is secured to said signal light, and switching means for said signal light, said switching means comprising a bifurcated conductive member mounted on an insulating base in said handle, said bifurcated conductive member having a yoke portion and prongs, insulating material interposed between said prongs of said bifurcated member, the surface of which lies in the same plane as the surface of said bifurcated member, a non-conductive member mounted on the opposite end of said shaft adjacent to said bifurcated member, a conductive plug mounted in said non-conductive member and forming the make-break contact member of said switching means, said conducwhen in contact with said insulating material between said prongs and closing said switch when in contact with said yoke portion of said bifurcated strip.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said shaft is pivotally mounted to said non-conductive member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Graubner D48-24 Knight 200-77 Bolley et a1. 200-16 Stevenson 340-81 Duetzmann 200-60 Green 200-163 Talbot et a1. 340-366 X 15 March 1954, p. 54.

NEIL C. READ, Prim ELI J. SAX, Examiner.

ary Examiner. 

4. IN A PORTABLE HAND LANTERN, THE COMBINATION OF A SAFETY SIGNAL LIGHT, A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW HANDLE, A SHAFT SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HANDLE, ONE END OF WHICH IS SECURED TO SAID SIGNAL LIGHT, AND SWITCHING MEANS FOR SAID SIGNAL LIGHT, SAID SWITCHING MEANS COMPRISING A BIFURCATED CONDUCTIVE MEMBER MOUNTED ON AN INSULATING BASE IN SAID HANDLE, SAID BIFURCATED CONDUCTIVE MEMBER HAVING A YOKE PORTION AND PRONGS, INSULATING MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PRONGS OF SAID BIFURCATED MATERIAL INTHE SURFACE OF WHICH LIES IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE SURFACE OF SAID BIFURCATED MEMBER, A NON-CONDUCTIVE MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SHAFT ADJACENT TO SAID BIFURCATED MEMBER, A CONDUCTIVE PLUG MOUNTED IN SAID NON-CONDUCTIVE MEMBER AND FORMING THE MAKE-BREAK CONTACT MEMBER OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, SAID CONDUCTIVE PLUG OPENING SAID SWITCH WHEN IN CONTACT WITH SAID INSULATING MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID PRONGS AND CLOSING SAID SWITCH WHEN IN CONTACT WITH SAID YOKE PORTION OF SAID BIFURCATED STRIP. 